Hodges living dream in fast lane

Marty O'Brien247-4963

Jefferson Hodges is living the dream.

His late father, former Langley Speedway general manager King Hodges, nurtured the dream by taking his son on weekend trips to NASCAR races in Martinsville, Dover, Bristol and Daytona Beach. Perched on the edge of his aluminum bleacher seat, Hodges decided early on he one day would make his living working on stock cars like the ones Davey Allison and Terry Labonte drove.

"All I've ever wanted to do is be in racing," said Hodges, a 31-year-old New Kent native. "Racing was the only reason I got good grades, because my dad wouldn't take me to races unless I behaved myself and made good grades.

"To be where I am today is totally great."

Hodges will be in Daytona Beach, Fla., this afternoon. He is a Sprint Cup Series car chief for the No. 8 Earnhardt-Ganassi Chevrolet driven by Aric Almirola, who will start 11th in today's Daytona 500.

As car chief, Hodges serves as liaison between crew chief Doug Randolph and the guys who work on the car in the shop and at the track. In essence, it is Hodges' job to ensure the guys who turn wrenches make the car fast.

Many would say he's been successful so far during Speedweeks. Almirola ran seventh in 500 qualifying, finished fifth in one of the 150-mile duels and posted the fastest lap (191.436 miles per hour) in Cup practice a few days ago.

But just finishing near the front won't cut it for Hodges, because he knows the Chevy will go fast on a superspeedway. As car chief last year for the same team — part of what was then known as Dale Earnhardt Inc. — he helped Paul Menard win the pole for the July race at Daytona.

Menard also finished second on the superspeedway at Talladega, led several races and finished 26th in owner points, qualifying the team's new driver (Almirola) for the first five races this season. But Hodges expected more.

"Compared to the year before, those results were a humongous improvement," said Hodges, a first-year Cup car chief in 2008.

"But it's not what I'd consider a successful first year, because we didn't win a race.

"If we aren't first in the Daytona 500, I'll be disappointed because I know we have a great car, an excellent motor, a great driver and a good group of guys."

Randolph says that Hodges' attitude is a key component in team chemistry.

"Jefferson has a way of managing the guys," Randolph said. "I don't know if it's how he carries himself or what. Maybe his confidence just rubs off.

"I know that neither of us has to give the crew a lot of direction. I think a lot of that has to do with his ability to get his message across without having to be too hands on."

Hodges can turn a wrench if needed. He worked in former Cup owner Junie Donlavey's shop as a 17-year-old, then spent nine years in Richmond shop of legendary chassis builder Rick Townsend.

He built chassis at Townsend for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who encouraged him to move to Charlotte, N.C. Hodges moved there in 2004, eventually becoming crew chief of Earnhardt's start-up team in the Busch Series.

Hodges has continued his rise in NASCAR during a tumultuous past two years. Earnhardt-Ganassi is the fourth evolution of the MB2 Motorsports team he joined in 2006.

"Few people have seen as much, or gotten a more personal view, of how cutthroat this (NASCAR) business is," Hodges said.

"I've survived two of the biggest mergers ever in the sport, and seen more than 300 people get laid off."

Hodges said it hurts to see so many friends lose their jobs, but he understands why.

"The problem is NASCAR grew too fast," he said. "It isn't downsizing, it is right-sizing."

That means there are fewer crew members and far fewer sponsorship dollars than a couple of years ago. Almirola begins the season with a primary sponsor, Activision's Guitar Hero video game, for only three races.

Team co-owner Chip Ganassi said Friday that Almirola won't run a full season unless funding is secured. Hodges acknowledges a good showing into today's Daytona 500 might help.

He doesn't mind the pressure, because he's where he dreamed about being since he was a kid.

"Jefferson's father always told him: 'Find something you love to do and make it an occupation,' " said Marjorie Hodges, Jefferson's mother. "He's doing what he loves to do.